Vehicle drive axle



Sept. 6, 1949. 1 R. BUCKENDALE VEHICLE DRIVE AXLE Filed oct. 5, 1944 Sept 6, 1949. L. R. BucKENDALE vEHicLE DRIVE AxLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1944 LAWRENCE R. BUCKENDALE Sept 6,- 1949. R. BUCKENDALE VEHICLE DRIVE AXLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 5, 1944 gnou/whom LAWRENCE R. BUCKENDALE Riku.

Sept 6, 1949- l.. 1R. BUCKENDALE 2,480,836

VEHICLE DRIVE AXLE Filed Ob. 5, 1944 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 LAWRENCE R. BucKf-:NDALE Patented Sept. 6, 1949 VEHICLE DRIVE AXLE Lawrence R. Buckendale, Detroit, Mich., assignor to The Timken-Detroit Axle Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Ohio Application October 5, 1944, Serial No. 557,317

7 Claims. (Cl. i4-327) This invention relates to improvements in vehicle drive axles and has particular reference to an improved two-speed, double reduction axle for light and medium weight burden vehicles such as trucks, busses and road tractors.

Recently a great deal of success has been achieved in the manufacture and operation of two-speed, double reduction axles. So far, however, such two-speed, double reduction axles have been used exclusively in heavy duty burden vehicles such as large trucks and busses to provide greater facility in handling the heavy loads such vehicles normally carry. Consequently such twospeed, double reduction axles have, so far as I am aware, been relatively heavy and expensive units having heavy duty, integrally cast or forged housings.

It is conceived, however, that this type of axle would have great advantages in lighter vehicles, for example in trucks of from one-half ton to two and one-half ton load capacity, if it could be economically produced in a weight and capacity suitable for such vehicles.

As the number of burden vehicles of the capacity indicated is extremely large and as their initial and operating costs must be maintained within definite limits for economically successful operation, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved two-speed, double reduction axle for such vehicles that can be produced by quantity production methods at a cost well within the economic limits for this type of equipment.

The provision of such axles will greatly increase the usefulness of the vehicles to which they are applied since, when equipped with the improved axle such a vehicle will be able to handle `heavier' loads, to operate at greater average speed on highways, to traverse rough terrain with greater facility when necessary and to exert an increased draw bar pull when used as a tractor unit of a tractor-trailer combination, or for other tractive purposes.

As the split type drive axle housing, in which the two portions or" the axle are joined by bolting flanges along a vertical plane extending through the diierential housing, has been found to be the most economical type and also the most satisfactory from the viewpoint of maintenance and other considerations for light vehicles, the invention contemplates the provision of a two-speed, double reduction axle having a split type housing. Also since it is contemplated-that a large number of such axles will be used in short coupled vehicles, such as tractor units, the improved axle is designed to require a minimum propeller shaft angularity and t0 reduce the overhang of the double reduction mechanism to the practical minimum.

With these and other considerations in view, it is an important object of the invention to provide an improved vehicle drive axle having twospeed, double reduction gear mechanism and a split type housing.

A further object resides in the provision of an improved drive axle of the character indicated in which the reduction gearcarrier portion of the differential housing is oiset in a direction to reduce or eliminate the overhang of such portion and reduce the angularity of the vehicle propeller shaft.

A still further object resides in the provision of an improved vehicle axle of the character indicated wherein the various parts and particularly the differential housing is adapted for manufacture on usual types of mass production machine tools.

An additional object resides in the provision of an improved drive axle of the character indicated which is light in weight, economical to manufacture and which may be installed in place of a standard or conventional vehicle axle without any material alteration or modification of the vehicle chassis.

A further object resides in the provision of an improved two-speed, double reduction drive axle in which a hypoid primary reduction gear train is combined with a spur type two-speed reduction gear train t0 provide a ldrive axle of maximum `capacity and ilexibility for its size and weight.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and from the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to designate similar parts throughout, there is illustrated a suitable embodiment for the purpose of disclosing the invention. The drawingshowever are for purposes of illustration only and are not to be taken in a limiting or restrictive sense since it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in the illustrated construction may be resorted to without in any way exceeding the scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional View of the center portion of a vehicle drive axle constructed according to the invention, taken on the line I-I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of an axle -constructed according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of a part of the center portion of the axle.

With continued reference to the drawings, the numeral l generally indicates the center portion or differential housing of the housing of the irnproved axle construction,-I This'centerportion is formed irr two parts, as indicated at |2 land M, joined together by mating bolting flanges i6 and I8 along a plane which intersects and is perpenv portions of the respective parts of the center pordicular to the longitudinal center line B-of they v In the arrangement illustrated the-bolting flange I8 is provided around its inner edge with a pilot rib 22 and the bolting flangell iszprovidedf.

with a machined recess or rabbet which contacts the corresponding surface of the pilot rib toposi-x tively pilot the two parts of the center portion of the housingin respecteto eachother The twd parltsfare secured together'by suitablestud :bolts 24 which extend through the bolting anges and clamp.- thern together.

' Thelpartf |2 isprovided with a cylindrical boss ZSz'Which-receives A-the corresponding end of a tubular. armi-.p ortion. :28 which extends outwardly from the portion l0 to carry a vehicle'spring vand aroadfwheelunot illustrated. Part Iltis provided Witlrfa Asimilar.bossllwhich receives the correspondingend-ot-atubulariarm 32 which extends outwardly from the portion l to receive the spring and road wheel on the opposite side of the vehicle--A Within the hollow center portion lll a two-part diierential cage, generally indicated at 34,'isjournalledat its ends-by-suitable anti-friction-bearing means, such as the roller bearing v3|5 and 38; mounted in respective bearing seats 40 and, 42"formedintegrally in the housing parts l2 and-|45* The two parts 44 and 136 oi the diierential cage 35Ila11e:separablealongal `plane including ythe ra'dialaxes `of diierential ,spider 48,which, carries diierential,pinion gears, asindcated at 5U and,,52,. which mesh with4 side gears, 54and 5S joulrlflledy in: thedierentialcage and splined to the corresponding ends of respective axleshafts 58 :andWWhich-qextend through vthe respective tulevular..v farms y 28-y k:andi-3 32:v Eto f the c corresponding road wheels infa mannenwell-known to the art.

A-Lspur, type differential drive -gear62 is mounted or;:1T/111er@here,par-t;44- adjacentY the connection betweentheparts edf andilltaand isfsecured in positierlnrrrtheidiierential cage by through bo1ts,l one oi-zwhch is indicated at 64,;which :also...serve to securevtheltwoparts of the differential cage together. Additional bolts or dowelemernbers vmay bexused to assistin maintaining the gear in properuposition ont the differential cage.

A second. spur type dierential drivegear 655x is mounted .on Athe cage part, 46; .by suitable means suchaas rivets;=one. of Which'is indicated at 68, extending throught..overlapping` kflanges provided internall-yrof theigear and externally of .the ditfenentiali cage part;

One-onezside thereofl theaxle center portion I0 -isiprovidedwith an offset, particularly: illustrated in Figure 2 and generally indicated at l0.- Within the olset or extension 1|] there is a cross-shaft or counter-shaft,`-- generally 'indicated at- 121,'l jouring seatsfly and *8U formed integrally inthe offset 'F tion of the axle housing.

The cross-shaft T2 has reduced end journal portions received in the inner races of bearings 14 and 'IS and between these end portions has journal portions 82 and 84 upon which are journalled respective spur gears 86 and 88 which mesh with the gears 62E and g(it respectively.- Between the-'journal portions 82 and 84 theshaft 'l2 is provided with integral annular clutch enlargements or extensions 9|) and 90 provided with peripheral clutch teeth which engage with the internal clutch teeth of a clutch collar 92 which surrounds andisllaterally sldahle upon the crossshaft;l Gear BS--iseprovided with clutch teeth 94 engageableby the teeth of collar 92 and gear 88 is providedfwith-:clutch teeth 96 engageable by the teeth of the clutch collar so that either one of--the gears SG or 88 may be selectively coupled to the cross-shaft 12 fon rotation therewith. Collar 92is .provided with an annular external groove to receive engaging portionsof a clutch shifting collar or A-yoke,.not illustrated, and the cross-,shaft carries a plurality of spring pressed vdetents, one of which is shown iny dotted-linesat 9T, which engage with speciallytbeveled yteeth in the clutch collarto retain thecollar in either one of its two operative positions.

The cross-shaft '|2ris also provided with a splinedl or keyed portionsr upon which is xed a 1nevel ring gear Illll'.4

The-inner races of bearing- 'M and 16 are retainedon the endsiof cross-shaft'lliby suitable rneanssuch as the respective-end. nuts m21 Vand l B4" and the outer races are positioned in the bearingseats- 'I8 and 80 :by the cover plates |06" and |53 secured to the bearing seat portions 'I8A and afofathe housingparts l2 and ill -by suitable stud boltsior cap .screws asiindicated at H0 and H2.

With this arrangement when the cross-shaft |2:is.driven by .ring gear |00 it `will drive one of thefspurgears Stor 88, depending upon the posi tion of clutch collar 92, which 4:will inturn drive thecorresponding differential spur gear 62 or 66 -andthese gears, through the intermediacy of the diierential cage, spider, pinion gears, and side gears,- will drive thel axle shafts 58 and El) at a speed selected `in accordance with the position of the clutch collar 92.

The--oiset `Ulis-provided atone sideY thereof withan-open annular bosslllt having its longitudinal center line at right-anglesV to the center line of-crcsseshaft l2 butdisposed radially outwardly therefrom, asis clearly illustrated in Figure 2i A--generally cylindrical bearing cage, generally indicated at 6, is secured to` boss l M'by suitable means, such as thestud bolts or cap screws H8, and Vis piloted therein by the flanged portion l20 projecting within the vaperture of the boss, as is particularly shownin yFigure -3.

A propeller shaft section, generally'indicated at |22 is1journalledlin the bearing cage H6 by spaced anti-friction means, such as the roller bearing |24 and |26. The axis V0l? rotation of shaft |2'21is'disposed Vin a horizontal plane parallel to and labove the level of the axis of rotation of cross-shafty 12;

At-its-inner end theshaftsection 422 carries a beveledpinion gear |3U,which may be formed integrally therewith, meshing-*with the beveled ring gear and at'its-outer end the shaft'section is splined,as indicatedat- |32, -to receive a driving element, such as the universal joint ange |34,

secured on-the^'shaftby suitable means, such as the end nut |36. The bearings |24 and |26 are mounted and preloaded in a generally conventional manner and a detailed description of this construction is believed unnecessary for the purposes of the present disclosure.

As shown in Figure 2, the offset is provided with a small apertured boss |40 on the side thereof opposite the boss ||4 and this boss |40 rotatably receives a shaft |42 which extends through the housing immediately below the clutch collar 92 and carries a shift fork, not illustrated, for moving the clutch collar from one to the other of its operative positions. VOn its outer end shaft |42 carries a lever |44 secured thereon by an end nut |46, which lever is operably connected with a manual or power operated shift mechanism to selectively change the axle gear ratio.

As is clearly illustrated in Figure 2, the offset 10 is located above the longitudinal center line of the axle and is angularly spaced rearwardly relative to a vertical plane including the longitudinal center line 20 of the axle in a manner such that the center of the offset, or the axis of the cross-shaft I2 is disposed on the opposite side of the vertical plane from the open end of boss I4 which receives the propeller shaft section |22. It is also app-arent from an inspection of Figure 2 that the axis of the propeller shaft section |22 is spaced above the axis of cross-shaft 12. By this arrangement the axis of the propeller shaft section is raised the maximum permissible distance above the longitudinal axis of the axle without restricting the necessary clearance between the axle and the chassis of the vehicle. This provides the substantial advantage of reducing the angularity of the vehicle propeller shaft and greatly increasing the service life of the propeller shaft universal joints. Also, by raising the offset portion above the main portion of the differential housing and disposing it to the rear of the vertical plane including the housing axis or to that side of the vertical plane opposite the propeller shaft section |22, the overhang of the portion carrying the primary reduction gear train and the cross-shaft is reduced or substantially eliminated so that the weight of this part of the gear mechanism and its'carrier does not impose any turning or twisting forces on the axle.

The housing of the improved axle is designed for minimum weight with adequate strength and rigidity. This is accomplished by maintaining the walls of the housing center portion relatively thin, as is particularly illustrated in Figure l, and by providing an unusually large number of deep reinforcing flanges or ribs at proper locations to .f

provide adequate reinforcement where needed, as is particularly shown in Figures 2 and 3. These reinforcing ribs or anges for each of the housing portions I2 and I4 are arranged in the form of a cross centered on the corresponding boss portion 26 or 30. In this arrangement the spaced parallel Vribs |50, |52, |54 and |56 extend vertically of the housing on the portion I4 while the spaced parallel ribs |58, |60, |62 and |64 extend horizontally. Intersecting ribs are run together where they approach the outer surface of the boss portion and merge into the boss to provide additional material in the critical zone along the inner end of the boss portion. Ribs |50, |52, |54, |58, |60, |82 and |54 merge at their outer ends into bolting flange I8 and the vertical rib |55 merges into the boss comprising the bearing seat 80. Similar ribs are provided on the housing portion I2, as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The housing center portion is preferably formed of iron castings machined on contacting surfaces to provide close fits between the component parts and otherwise machined to provide bolt holes, bearing seats and other operative surfaces of the necessary accuracy. It is conceived that these parts could bemost rapidly and economically produced on standard automatic machinery by conventional production methods. For example, the two parts |`2 and |4 of the center portion of the housing could be economically machined on multiple head automatic machines of conventional type. However, such machines have a limited clearance and unless the maximum radius of the part to be machined falls within this clearance the part cannot be set up on such a machine and indexed to successive stations for the various machining operations. The clearance of a typical standard size machine of the character indicated is indicated by the arc B6 on Figure 2.

With the necessary size of the gears and other working parts of the axle it is obvious thatif the full accumulative offsets for the reduction gear trains were allowed the maximum radius of the housing parts would materially exceed the indicated clearance dimension. For example, axle housing parts of the form shown in United States Patent 2,309,42 for the same size axle could not be successfully machined on the type of automatic multiple head machines referred 'to above. In the axle housing of the invention, however, the dimensions are kept within the machine clearance, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 2. This is done by establishing a minimum distance between the center line 20 and the portion of the offset 'l0 most remote from the center line by disposing the offset in such a manner that the center line |68 of the propeller shaft section and a line in a common plane perpendicular to the axle center line or differential axis and passing through the differential axis and the axis of cross-shaft 12 intersect at a point spaced from the cross-shaft axis and include an acute angle between them on the side adjacent said propeller shaft section. This arrangement also provides a housing requiring minimum clearance for a housing having a top mounted bevel gear train.

In order to compensate for the condition wherein the axis of the propeller shaft section does not intersect the axis of the cross-shaft the gears |00 and |30 may be of the hypoid type familiar to the art. This permits the use of an extremely small ring gear |00 while maintaining the capacity of this primary gear reduction equal to or greater than the capacity of the straight bevel gear train of a standard axle for the particular size and type of vehicle. This permits the use of an offset of small diameter to inclose the primary reduction gear train and the cross-shaft and cross-shaft carried gears of the two-speed secondary gear train.

While the two-speed gear train has been hereinabove referred to as a reduction gear train this description was for convenience only as the twospeed gear train may be either underdrive or overdrive or one side may be underdrive and the other overdrive aS the conditions of any particular installation may require.

There is thus disclosed a practical two-speed, double reduction axle for light trucks and similar vehicles which is light in weight and yet of adequate strength and rigidity and which is economical to manufacture and simple to install and which, when installed on a vehicle of the character indicated, will greatly increase the useful- 7i nessz'of thesvehicleffbylrenderingsacrelativelyclight vehicle'zfully'capable'foffheavy. duty, service-when required:v

The inventionlmay be gembodiedf; in;- other specific. forms fWithout/departingfrom thespirit or essential characteristics: thereof;. The present embodimentfis therefore to be. considered in all respects as illustrative and notY restrictive, the scopefof:'theeinventionibeing indicatedzbyrthe: appendedf'claims rather tharnby, thesforegoing des scription; andi all .changes Which1come within .the meaningf and range` of: equivalencyof the claims are: thereforerintendedtoib ezembraced therein.'

What; is claimed and desired' to be. secured-by Unitedistates Letters Patent is:

1'; InA a vehicle drive: axle, an axley housing adapte'dito extenditransversely. of` the-vehicle and having ani enlarged: intermediate portion, Ydifferential :axle shaftf. driving meansfjournaled'in said enlarged housing portion onA a; substantiallyhorizontalaxis-textending transverselyof said vehicle, across shaft mounted on said enlarged housing portion Ywith its Iaxisi ima-:horizontal plane :parallel to and-above the txis of said'dierential, alpinion shaft-rotatably. mountedin said lenlargedhousing portiontabove theV level of the axis of: said differential andr extending'rat an angle toA saidi cross shaft, and` gearing within: said' enlarged' housing portionI providing; a, ,doubleAv reduction selective two speed*A driver' between: said. pinion shaft and said differential`v means,. ther axis ofi said cross shaft being; disposed on; the opposite side of a vertical plane'containingfthe'axis of.- said differentiarmeans fromisaidfpiniorr shaft mounting.

J2. In=a=vehicle drive axle, an axlehousinghave ing fan' enlargedfintermediate portion, differential mechanism journaled-w-ithin saidenl'arged'vhousingfportion, a pinionshaft` rotatably mounted on said enlargedf'housing; portion, a cross vshaft mounted` Within` saidi enlargedhousing portion parallel to Athe, axisof rotationv of said'differential mechanismthe axes of saidzdilerentialmechanism, cross shaft and-pinion shaft beingdisposed atg successively; higher =levelsf andY the axis' of said cross shaftbeing-disposedonthe opposite side of a vertical plane;containingftheV axis: of said diierential mechanism from: saidy pinionY shaft mounting; meshe'dfhypoid-pinion'and'ring gearsion the pinion and cross shaftsrespectively,I providing: a first: drive reduction, and gearing between said crossshaft and differential mechanismI providing aselective two speedsecond'drive reduction Within saidV axle:

3; Ina vehicle drive axlegxanvaxlefhousing containing a' rotatable differential" mechanism and comprising; tvvo` separate housing parts enlarged at their adiacent ends and-secured togetheralong a` plane substantially perpendicular tothe axis of rotationv of :said differential mechanism to 1 provide an enlarged' intermediate portion in said housing enclosing said differential mechanism, bearingmeans'inisaid respective housing parts for journaling. saiddifferential mechanism on; said axis, aV crossfshafthaving its ax'is-:parallelto the axis of said' differential mechanism, bearing m'cans in said f respective housing parts for. journa-liogfsaid vcross shaft, a`v pinion shaftldisposedat an angle to said cross shaft,.saidpiniomcross'shaft and'differential axes being stepped at successively lower'levels, bearing means in'` one of said housing parts formounting said 'pinioni shaftom said V'axle housing,V cooperating pinion and;Y ring gearsr on said pinionfsha'ftfand ycross' shaft respectively lfor providing a first drive: reduction, constantly meshed pairsonisaidl cross shaft` and-difiere 8, ential mechanism providing two. differenti. speed second'fdrive: reductions, and iclutch meansoperatively` connecting either of saidzgear pairs to: be dri-ven byv said. cross shaft, the axis of:said cross shaft being disposedon the opposite sidefof a vertical plane containing thev axis of saididiffercntial mechanism from said pinion shaftbearing.

4.? .In adrivo axle, an axle.` housing containingla rotatable diiferentia-llmechanism and comprising tvvoseparate housing parts enlarged at their ad jacent. ends .and secured together along alplane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotationloffsaid differential mechanism to provide an enlarged iintermediate sectionin said housing en.- closing saiddifferential mechanism, each of said enlarged housing part. ends having anioffsetrportion projectingiupwardlyrfrom said housingrand displaced laterally with respect to avertical plane containing the axis of said diferentialmechanism, aligned bearings in the respective housing parts for: journaling said differential mechanismy aligned :bearings Ain ysaid respective offset portions, a pinion-.shaft mounted in bearings onfone of said oifsetportions; a cross shaft mounted in said lastnamed` bearings, the axis of said cross shaftbeing parallel to andabove said differential mechanism axis4 andialso disposedon the opposite side of said vertical plane from saidV pinion l shaft; mounting, and gearing in said enlarged housing portion providinga double reduction selective two'speeddrive between` the pinion shaft and said: differential mechanism.

5. In a vehicle drive axle, an axle housing adapted to extend transversely of the vehicle and having an enlargedintermediate portion, dilferentialaxle shaft driving means journaled in said enlarged housing portion on a substantially horizontallaxis extending transversely of the Vehicle, a crossshaft mounted? on said enlarged housing portion with its axis in a horizontal plane parallel tothe axis of saiddiiferential, a pinion shaft rotatably mounted in said enlarged housing portion and extending-at an angle to said crossishaft, said pinionk shaft, cross shaftV and differential being steppedat successive levels, andY gearing Within said-enlarged housing portion providing a double reductioniselective two'speed drive between said pinion shaftzandsaid.diiferentialmeans, the axis ofsaid crossshaft being disposed on the opposite side of a `vertical plane containing the axis of said differential means from said pinion shaft mounting.

6'. In the vehicle drive axle defined in claim' 5, said enlarged housing portion being transversely split and: being formed'- with an olset portion in Whichboth said crossshait and pinion shaft are mounted '7.4 In. a vehicle drive axle, an axle housing containing a rotatable differential mechanism and comprisingl two: separate housing parts enlarged attheir adjacent ends and secured together along aplane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said differential mechanism toprovide an enlarged-intermediate portion in said housing enclosing saidv differential mechanism, bearing means in .one of said housing parts-for maintainingapinion shaft in said axle housing, bearing means in saidrespective housing partsfor journaling said: differential mechanism on: said axis, a cross shaft having. its axis. parallel to the axis of said differential mechanism and di'sposedlon the opposite side of a verti-calplane containing the axis offsaid-differential'mechanism; from said pinion shaft bearing, bearing means in said respective housing parts -for-journalingsaid-'cross REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Murray Aug. 21., 1917 Number Number Number Name Darte Sternberg Mar. 23, 1920 Sternberg Jan. 16, 1923 Wolf May 6, 1924.- Mogford Jan. 12, 1926 Sterling Mar. 28, 1933 Allison Oct. 26, 1937 Alden June 14, 1938 Behrens Sept. 27, 1938 Ormsby Nov. 21, 1939 Buckendale Deo. 19, 1939 Keese June 4, 1940 Wilbur June 11, Alden Jan. 26, 1943 Alden et al June 20, 1944 Rockwell et al. Sept. 11, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Apr. 24, 1940 France Jan. 20, 1932 

